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Was your deposit protected? If not, it could be worth up to 3x.
The law gives a landlord 30 days to put your deposit in a government scheme. Miss that, and a court can hand the deposit back to you and add a penalty of one to three times its value. See what that means for your deposit.
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An estimate under the Housing Act 2004 (England and Wales). The penalty is 1 to 3 times the deposit, at the court's discretion. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own schemes.
How deposit protection claims work
When you pay a deposit on an assured shorthold tenancy in England or Wales, your landlord or agent must protect it in one of three schemes, DPS, MyDeposits or TDS, within 30 days, and give you written details. If they never did, or did it late, you can ask the court for the deposit back plus a penalty of one to three times the amount. It is one of the few renter rights with real teeth, and most tenants never use it.
Renting and short of money for other reasons too? If a bank or lender treated you unfairly, the irresponsible-lending refund calculator works out what you can reclaim there.
Questions
How do I know if my deposit was protected?+
Within 30 days of taking your deposit, your landlord or agent must protect it in a government scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS) and give you the 'prescribed information'. If you never got scheme paperwork, it was probably never protected. You can check by searching each scheme with your details.
How much can I claim?+
A court can order the deposit returned to you and award a penalty of between one and three times the deposit. So a £1,000 deposit that was never protected can be worth up to £4,000. The exact multiple is at the judge's discretion.
Can I still claim after I've moved out?+
Often yes. A claim for a protection breach can usually be brought for up to six years, even after the tenancy has ended. Moving out does not wipe out the landlord's failure to protect the deposit.
Do I need a solicitor or claims company?+
No. You can raise it with the landlord directly and, if needed, file a small claim yourself and keep 100%. Reclaim writes the letter and shows you the exact next step.
A self-serve tool, not a law firm. Estimates and general information, not legal advice.